Crate



J. COBB.

CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY27, 1921.

Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

IN !/E IV TOR ll TTOH/VEYS J. COBB CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZT, 1921.

1,427, 1 93, Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' WITNESSES A TTORIVEYS a the ill as a A.

ire w r on Y lea ll la r 4 a bum JESSE COBB, OF LAREDO, QEXAS.

' ciaarn.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn Conn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of La redo, in the county of Webb and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to crates especially adapted for receiving vegetables and fruit though not necessarily restricted to such use.

An important object is to provide a folding crate having novel means whereby the same may be readily and conveniently col lapsed for return shipment.

A further object is to provide a folding crate having corner posts of considerably greater strength than the side slats so that the crate is enabled to withstand the hard usage to which it is subjected when being filled and when being transported.

A further object of the invention is to. provide a folding crate which is of highly simplified construction, eflicient in use and cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing z- Figure 1 is a perspective of the improved crate open.

Figure 2 is a perspective of the body of the crate collapsed.

Figure 3 is a perspective of a cover of the crate.

Figure l is an end elevation of the crate.

Figure 5 is a perspective of a pivot pin embodied in the invention.

In the drawing the numerals 5 designate the sides which consist of upper and lower pairs of spaced side bars 6 between which slats 7 are secured by means of fastening devices 8. As illustrated in Figure 1 the side bars 6 are extended beyond the spaced slats 7 and are rigidly secures to the reduced terminal portions 9 of corner posts 10 by means of fastening devices 11 which may be in the nature of nails or the like. The outer sides of the corner posts 10 are flush with the outer sides of the side bars 6 so as to present a neat appearance and so as to provide the strength necessary to en able the crate to withstand hard usage.

The end walls consist of cross bars 13 having connection with spaced parallelslats 1d, the said end walls being arranged lll" wardly of the ends of the side walls and Specification of Letters Patent. pate t d A 29 19220 Application filed. July 27, 1921.

Serial No. 487,840.

moval of the branches 16 from the cross pieces 13. Each pivot pin 15 is also formed with a bight portion 18 which extends through the adjacent terminal portion of the adjacent side bar 6 and thereby eonnects the end wall to the side walls in such a manner that the walls may partake of movement with relation to each other when it is desired to open the crate or when it is desired to collapse the same. Further the pivot elements 16 are provided with short branches 20 arranged in spaced parallel relation to the branches l6 and lying flatly in contact with the outer sides of the side bars 6. It is understood, of course, that the branches 20 are formed by bending the ter-' minal portions of the pivot pins 15 after the same have been passed through the terminal portions of the side bars. i

The pivot pins 15 are also employed as a means for connecting cross beams 22 to theterminal portions of the side bars 6, the said cross beams being arranged in spaced relation to the end walls and being extended beyond the surfaces of top and bottom walls or covers 24 to prevent the covers from co1ning in contact with the ground or other support for the crate. Further the cross beams 22 which extend outwardly from the covers 24 prevent crates or other objects which may rest upon the crate forming the subject matter of this application from contacting ith and possibly breaking the cover 24.

Each wall or cover 24 is composed of a plurality of spaced parallel yieldable slats 25 joined by cross strips 26, the said cross strips being extended beyond the outermost slats 25 and adapted to contact with the longitudinal edges of the side walls. One end of each cover 24 is provided with a cross strip 27 which terminates flush with the outer edges of the outermost slats 25 and thereby permits that end of the cover to be forced downwardly between the adjacent cross beam 22 and the adjacent end of one of the end walls. When the narrow end of ends of the slats may be positioned between the opposite cross beam and the opposite end wall and subsequently confined between the beam and the end wall. In other words when it is desired to apply the cover 24 it is merely necessary to slide the narrow end of the same between one of the beams 22 and the adjacent end wall a suflicient distance to permit the opposite end of the cover to be forced'downwardly and rearwardly between the opposite-beam and the opposite end wall. Vhen thus positioned the cover 2% is securely held in position and the crate is effectively held against collapsing. However in order to properly position the cover 24'tl1e slats 25 must be capable of yielding slightly. With reference to the foregoing description it will be apparent that a crate constructed in accordance with this invention may be readily collapsed for occupying but a small amount of space during return shipment. By reason of the particular means employed for connecting the sections the crate is-enabled to withstand the strainsto which :the same is subjected during use.

I claim-:--- v 1. A crate having'side-walls, endwalls arranged between and inwardly of the ends of the side walls, U-s'haped pivot pins having branches extending through said end walls and having connecting portions extending through the end portions of the side walls,

said pivot pins also being provided with branches flatly engaging the outer, sides of I of the side walls, U-shaped pivot pins having branches extending through said end walls and having connecting portions extending through the end portions of the side walls, said pivot pins also being provided with branches flatly engaging the outer sides of the side walls, cross beams arranged at .the ends of said side walls and projecting and having connecting portions extending through the end portions'of the side walls,

said pivot pins also being provided with branches flatly engaging the outer sides of the sidewalls, cross beams arranged -at the ends of said side walls and projecting beyond the longitudinaledges ofthesame to form rests, and covers having their e'nd'portions confined between said" cross beams and the end walls, said covers being arranged inwardly 0t saidcross beams and protected thereby, said coverjbeing provided with a plurality of yieldableslats arrangedbetween said side walls and having connect- 111g" strips contacting withthe' edges Of-Silld sidewalls, each cover also being provided witha cross strip terminating at' the outer I edges of the outermost slats.

l. A. cratecomprising side walls inclusive of pairs 'ofnspaced parallel sidebars and spaced slats arrangedbetvveen said sidebars, the ends of said-"side walls being'provided with corner posts having reduced' terminal portions :secured between the terminal por 'tions of said side bars, and end walls pivoted to said side walls and arranged inwardlyof the ends of the same. 5. A crate comprising side walls in'clusive 01 pairs of spaced parallel sidebarsand spaced slats arranged'between saidside bars, the ends of said side walls beingprovided with. corner posts havin g "red-ucedterminal portions secured between the terminal portions of said side bars,-end walls pivoted to' said. side walls and arranged inwardly of the ends oi the same, and cross beamssecured to the ends of said. side walls 'in' spaced relation to said end walls.

JESSE cons. 

